Ventilator structure



March 13, 1956 1 L, SMITH v 2,737,876

VENTILATOR STRUCTURE Filed D60. 17, 1952 VENTILATOR STRUCTURE f Lester L. smith, Peoria, nl. [application December 17, 19st, serial Nascanna s claims. `(cl. V9th-12) `VMore specifically, niy invention comprehends the prt 4vision of a cupola type ventilator embodying certainbasic parts useable in any adaptation ofthe ventilator, and aciditional parts which are subject to selection for `adaptitig the ventilator to either pitch or nat roofs, and which additional Vparts for use on pitch roofs are constructed and arranged for ready modiiication at the time of installation and assernbly to adapt the structure to the partieular 'pitch of the roof upon which it is installed.

As another object, this invention comprehends the `provision of a prefabricated sheet nietal cupola type ventilator having wide versatility in its adaptations and uses, and which can be assembled at the tirne and place .ofinstallat'ionwithout particular skill or the necessityfo'f any con picatedsheet metal work.

This invention Yfurther has within itspurview 'thev provision `of a cupola type ventilator which not only lprovides good all-weather protection, but which also 'alords ventilating opening areas which are comparable or equivalent to the `area ofthe root opening over which the ventilator is installed.

It .is another object of my invention to provide a preiabricated cupola type ventilator which 4is suited to mounting directly on a roof ora Iroof jack.

vllit'hin the purview of rny invention, I have provided a cupola type ventilator embodying prefabricated sheet metal panels adapted to be tightly and securely held to- `gether in assembled relationship 'by partsco-actingjto constitute readily assembled slip joints.

My invention further affords a ycupolaV typejvontilator constituting a readily erectedas'sem'blyo'f parts which are all adapted to quantity production at `relatively low COSI. I

sanother feature, the cupola typeventilator of this invention is adapted to weatheretight installation .without the necessity of special flashing.

`Other objects and advantages of the-invention will be apparent troni 'the following ldescription andthe accontpan'ying drawings, in which similar characters of re'eeflce indicate siinilar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the single sheet of drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational :View 'of aprefeired elnbodi'tnent `of my cupola type ventilator wherein `fpolti'o'lis are cutaway to indicate details ofthe structure and wherelin the ventilator is 'shown in an adaptation to the pitch roof 'or a building which is indicated tragmentarily;

lFig^ 2- is 'a fragmentary front elevational View showing vthe adaptation of my cupola typeA ventilatorlto` "a VVllat roof; l

Pig.. 3 is a fragmentary top sectional view-of' Va-pottion United States Patentl O 2 'of my preferred ventilator structure wherein the section is taken substantially on a. li'nt.` '.tmiof4 Pig. vl and in the direction of the arrows, and'vvherein an enlarged scale is utilized to illustrate details of the structure;

Fig. 4 is la view similar tofFig. 3, but whereinthe parts f my ventilator structure are indicated in disassembled andsex'ploded relationship; e

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a modified structure adapted to use in ni'y cupola typeven'- tilator and has `portions of the structure-broken away along a line 5-5 of Fig. 7 to indicate certainV details;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side sectional'vievv takensubstantially on a line `66 of Fig. 5 and in the direction indicated by arrows; and f Fig. 7`is a fragmentary top sectional view ot a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 5 and Vwherein the section is taken substantially on a 'line' 7-f7 of Fig. 5 and inthe direction of the accompanying arrows.

In the accompanying drawings, l have shown exemplary forms,strnctural details, and adaptations of tnyfin- -vention for .illustrative purposes; Considered generally,

`lator and is adapted to Vhe mounted over an opening in the .roofof a building or the like, whichvopening is of 'the same basic shape as the base structure and onlyV slightly `smaller than that structure.

As depicted in Figs. `l and y2, vand with only minor modifications, my 'cupola type ventilator is adapted to ymounting onv various types Aof roofs,such as a pitch roof 16 andiiat roof 17 which are illustrated. In my dis'- closed structure the sidepanels'lz, 13, 14 and-1S are removably secured together by icor'ner strips, such as 18, of angular sectional shape, which strips engage and interlock with parts on the/side panels. By preference, the side Vpanels hhave ilanges such as'19 4along their bottom mar gins :which overlap lthe lrooffinlhe installation of the ventilator and serve as `hashing strips. Then a top or cover 20 issecured `'to the top margins of the side panels 'and overlaps those side panels to-serve as a roof furthe ventilator.

In the ventilator structure depictedin Figs. l, 3 and 4, each of the louvered panels constitutes twometal sheets 22 and 23 having louvers 24 and 25 integrallyformed therein, `which louvers are of substantially the samesze Aand spacing in the two'shcets, so that with the sheets secured together `in inverted relationship and with their llouvers aligned, as shown in Fig. l, the louvers overlap .and have Ventilating spacetherebetween. With the outer Ylouvers lof the structure extending downwardly, and 'the inner louvers extending upwardly, as shown, their overlapping relationship aftords weatherrproof protection at the Ventilating openings. Y

.In order to adapt my cupola type ventilator Vto use on a pitch roof, `as depicted in Fig. yl, I provide opposed pairs of pancls 12 and 13 inwhich -the 4louvered openings eX- tend practically'from the `top tothe bottom of each panel. These panels are adapted to use on opposite sides ofthe ventilator. At the tends lofthe ventilator, the 4panels 14 and 15 have l'ouvors only extending across the top portions of 'the panels. 'This leaves `a `plane area 26 below Fig. l.k It may be readily appreciated that by making the louvered panels in standardized sizes and in the types illustrated, combinations may be selected to adapt an assembled ventilator to different types of roofs and to installations on roofs of various pitches.

For the purpose of minimizing storage space as well as for facilitating the installation of the cupola type ventilator, the louvered panels are normally separated, thereby providing for storage in stacks and selection of the required types for a particular installation. The covers or tops are, of course, suited to the standard sizes of louvered panels and are separately stored therewith to be secured in place at the time of the installation and erecpanels together at their corners and for effectively and` tightly sealing those corners. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, sheet metal strips 27 and 28 are secured to the end margins of the louvered panels, as by spot-welding at positions spaced from the ends of the louvered panels. Along the margins of the strips 27 and 28 which are remote from the ends Vot' the louvered panels, those strips are reversely bent to provide end portions 29 and 30 in the form of tongues or lugs which are set out from the outer surfaces of the louvered panels, but which are substantially parallel to the panel surfaces.

The corner strips 18 are return bent along their outer `A longitudinal margins to provide channels 32 and 33, as well as flanges 34 and 3S, which flanges extend along and in spaced relationship to the inner margins of the corner strips. The tongues or lugs 29 and 30 on the louvered panels and the channels 32 and 33, as well as the flanges 34 and 35, are so related in position and size that when the louvered panels are in abutting relationship, as shown in Fig. 3, the tongues, flanges and channels interengage to form a slip joint, whereby the louvered panels are secured together at their corners by slipping the corner strips 18 over the strips 27 and 28 to effect the engagement of the tongues, channels and flanges.

Y Additionally to aid in the assembly of the cupola type ventilator depicted in Figs. l, 3 and 4, and for providing vadded strength to the assembled structure, the strip 28 which is secured to one louvered panel of a mating pair has a flange 36 thereon which is bent angularly over the ends of the panel sheets and projects in angular relationship from those sheets. Also, an end portion 37 of the strip 27 on the other of the mating panels is sprung away from the panel sheets' to receive the flange 36 between f that strip and the adjacent margin of the panel sheet as shown in Fig. 3.

In the installation of the disclosed ventilator, and after the selection and adaptation of the louvered panels for covering an appropriate opening in a roof, the louvered i panels are secured together by sliding. the corner strips into place and the bottom flanges 19 on the louvered panels are secured to the roof. The base structure thus erected is ready to receive the cover 20. In the disclosed structure, the cover 20 embodies substantially Z-shaped supporting strips 38 along each side, which supporting strips have flanges 39 thereon through which fastening means, such as screws 40, extend into the top margins of the louvered panels to support the cover and hold it in place. The cover illustrated isin the form of a pyramid made of sheet metal and suitably welded or soldered into the required shape and of a size such that it overlaps and extends beyond the base structure. of the disclosed cover has outer flanges 42 thereon which are secured, as by welding, to flanges 43 on the Z-shaped The sheet metal .f

lower portions of louver openings 45 by reverse folds 46 and 47 at spaced positions in the louver sheet affording integral stifening ribs extending in parallel relationship to each louver 48 at the lower portion of each louver opening. These stiffening ribs overlap the louvers, thereby to afford protection against driving rain, snow and the like.

In order to adapt these louvered panels to use in my disclosed cupola type ventilator structure, and in a manner quite similar to that described with respect to the previously disclosed form, the ends of each pair of adjacent louvered panels 44 have notches 49 and 50 therein, which notches, in each of the panels, are in spaced relationship along the panel end and which are in positions such that they are alternated on the two adjacent louvered panels when the panels are generally aligned with one another. Those notches at the ends of the panels provide tongues 52 and 53 on the two panels which extend in the general planes of the respective panels and are spaced to interengage to hold the adjacent louvered panels in aligned relationship to one another. In the disclosed structure, the notches in one louvered panel are between the adjacent folded portions of the panel and extend from one folded portion to the next, so that the triple-thickness portions project at the end. The notches in the other louvered panels are aligned with the triple-thickness portions of the panel and extend across those triple-thickness portions, so that the intervening single-thickness portions project.

vFor holding the corner strips and for interengagement with those corner strips to secure the adjacent louvered panels together, lugs or tongues 54 are punched from the triple-thickness portions of the louvered panels 44 and are offset outwardly from the outer panel surfaces in opposed relationship to the adjacent or near ends of each louvered panel. The lugs or tongues 54 on each louvered panel are also aligned on that louvered panel, so as to provide a row for receiving and engaging with the channels and flanges `on the corner strip. Thus, as in the previously described form of the invention, a slip joint is provided, whereby the adjacent louvered panels are secured together by sliding the corner strips into place in a direction longitudinal to those strips.

From the foregoing description and the references to the accompanying drawings, it may be readily understood that I have provided a cupola type ventilator suited to rapid assembly and installation, as well as for initial storage with the parts disassembled, and which structure embodies parts such that by selection of those parts and a minimum of readily accomplished alterations, the structure is adapted to installation on various types of buildings and roofs.

While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, many modifications may be made without de- .parting from the spirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United 'States is:

structure, said panels and corner strips having means thereon serving as inter-engaging slip joints adapted to assembly by sliding the corners strips along the adjacent panels longitudinally of the corner strips, said means on the. panels and corner strips comprising return bent flanges on the corner strips which extend along opposite sides thereof, and lugs along the end margins of the louvered panels which project away from the adjacent ends of each `panel and -which are offset outwardly from the outer surfaces of the panels for inter-engaging with the anges on the corner strips, said panels also having parts thereon for releasably holding adjacent panel ends in assembledand aligned relationship while the corner strips are assembled thereon, a cover for the rectangular base structure, and means for securing the cover to the louvered panels of the base structure.

2. A cupola type ventilator as defined in claim 1, and wherein said parts for releasably holding adjacent panel ends in assembled and aligned relationship comprise an angnlarly projecting flange on one end of each louvered panel, and a metal strip extending along the end margin of the adjacent louvered panel and secured thereto at a distance from the end so as to provide an end margin of double thickness metal thereon, and said angularly projecting ange of each louvered panel being inserted between the said metal strip and the surface of each adjacent louvered panel in the assembly of the panels.

3. A cupola type ventilator as defined in claim 1, and wherein the louvered sheet metal panels of the base structure are arranged in opposed pairs, the louvers in one pair of panels covering a major portion of the area of each panel ofthe pair from the top of each panel to the bottom thereof, and the louvers of the other pair of panels being located only near the top of each panel so as to provide a plane lower area adapted to be cut to fit a roof of predetermined pitch.

4. A cupola type ventilator as defined in claim l, and wherein the louvered panels are folded at spaced positions with two reverse folds at each of said positions to provide laterally extending strips of triple thickness metal at said positions, and said lugs being integrally formed in said panels where the metal is of triple thickness.

5. A cupola type ventilator as defined in claim 1, and wherein the louvered panels are folded at spaced positions with two reverse folds at each of said positions to provide laterally extending strips of triple thickness metal at said positions, and adjacent ends of said louvered panels of the base structure being notched at staggered positions such that projecting end portions of one louvered panel extend through aligned notches in the end of the adjacent louvered panel to provide said parts for releasably holding adjacent panel ends in aligned relationship.

6. A cupola type ventilator as defined in claim 5, and wherein the notches in one of the louvered panels are between the strips of triple thickness metal and the notches in the adjacent louvered panel are at the strips of triple thickness metal.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 129,713 Cadwell et al July 23, 1872 547,356 Pancoast Oct. 1, 1895 1,611,198 Johnson Dec. 21, 1926 1,648,591 Repay Nov. 8, 1927 1,732,435 De Hart Oct. 22, 1929 2,115,720 Holmes May 3, 1938 2,395,162 Van Norman Feb. 19, 1946 2,509,016 Peterson May 23, 1950 2,566,156 Apolonio Aug. 28, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 439,020 Germany Ian. 3, 1927 637,845 Great Britain May 24, 1950 

